Here in
chapter 5 we find that Ruben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh did not go
all the way into the promised land. They liked it on the east bank of the
Jordan, it seemed good to them. It did not matter that God had wanted them to
go all the way into the land, they stopped short and remained on the edge of His
will.
Whenever
we are on the edge, half in and half out, or not “all in”, as the modern
vinacular describes commitment, we have a tendency to be influenced, compromised,
even completely carried away by others. Which is presisley what happened to
these tribes.
“They
were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the
gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. So the God
of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, that is,
Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and
the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity” (vv.25-26)
Being in
the center of God’s will is where we want to be, not on the outer edges where
we become vulnerable to attack. I encourage you, “go all in”.
The Truth
“So then,
because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out
of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:16)
